Internal-combustion engine.



0. HEATON. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 3, 1914.

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0. HEATON. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 3, 19M.

Patented Apr. 13

1915. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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INTERNAL-GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

Application filed September 3, 1914. Serial No. 859,981.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Gus HEATON, a citizen ofthe United States of America, and a resident of lVhite Owl, in thecounty of Meade and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Internal-Combustion Engines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to internal combustion engines, particularlydesigned for heavy fuel oils, and the main object thereof is to providean explosion chamber in which the force of the fuel explosion in twodirections is utilized in an effective manner to actuate an operativepart of such engine, instead of but one direction as in engines as nowconstructed.

A further object is to produce such result by means of a collapsible andexpansible explosion chamber which dispenses with the reciprocatingpiston now employed; and a further object is to provide such engineswhich are simple in construction, installation, and use; which arehighly efficient; which may directly actuate a plurality of operatingparts, such as shafts; and which are comparatively inexpensive and notlikely to get out of order to require repair.

My invention is fully described in the following specification, of whichthe accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts aredesignated by the same reference characters in each of the views, and inwhich Figure 1 is a side elevation of an engine constructed inaccordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, partly insection; Fig. 3 is a detached view of a collapsible explosion chamberwhich I employ, and indicating an alternate position by dotted lines;Fig. 4c is a fragmentary, sectional, view of an automatic fuel feedcontrol; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, side view of a detail of theconstruction shown in Figs. 3 and 6, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 6;Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is adetached, sectional, view of a detail shown in Fig. 1, for actuating thecontrol shown in Fig. 4.

In the drawings forming a part of this application I have shown apresent preferred form of an engine embodying my in vention, andcomprising a base 8 having two parallel, vertical, side members 9thereon and which, in turn, carry, each, a plate 10, which plates serveas the ends of the explosion chamber and are rigidly held againstmovement in any direction, and said frame also carries two shafts 11 and12 having, each, in the form shown in Fig. 2, three cranks 11 11 11, and12 12 and 12, respectively.

Connected with the cranks 11 and 11 are rods 13 also in pivotalconnection with a cross-head 14: slidable in guides 15 on the sidemembers 9, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, at an angle of approximately 45degrees, and said cross-head has a rod 16 secured thereon and which isin pivotal connection, at its other end, with a kuckle-plate 17.

Connected with the crank 11 is a rod 18 in pivotal connection with across-head 19 slidable in guides 20 and provided with a rod 21 inpivotal connection with a knuckleplate 22; connected with the cranks 12and 12 are rods 23 in pivotal connection with a cross-head 24L slidablein guides 25 and provided with a rod 26 in pivotal connection with aknuckle-plate 27; connected with the crank 12 is a rod 28 connected witha cross-head 29 slidable in guides 30 and provided with a rod 31 inpivotal connection with a knuckle-plate 32; it will be observed that theshaft 11, cross-heads 14 and 19, and knuckle-plates 17 and 22 are in aplane at an angle of approximately l5 degrees with respect to the base8, whereas the shaft 12, cross-heads 24 and 29, and knuckle-plates 27and 32 are in a plane at an angle of approximately 45 degrees withrespect to the base, but in a direction reverse that of the plane of theshaft 11 and connected parts, and said shafts carry fly-wheels 11 and 12respectively.

As clearly indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and shown in full linesin Fig. 3, the knuckle-plates 17, 22, 27 and 32 are provided with twolongitudinal grooves 33, each, arranged transversely of the engine, saidplates having square, machined, ends hearing on the corresponding plate10 and slidable therebetween; extending between the knuckle-plates 17and 27 is a wall-plate 34E having cylindrical ends rotatable in thegrooves 33 of the said knuckleplates, designated 35; extending betweenthe knuckleplates 27 and 22 is a wall-plate 36 having cylindrical ends37 rotatable in the corresponding grooves 33 of the said knuckleplates;extending between the knuckleplates 22 and 32 is a wallplate 38 havingcylindrical ends 39 rotatable in the corresponding grooves 33 of thesaid knuckleplates; and extending between the knuckleplates 32 and 17 isa wall-plate 40 having cylindrical ends 41 rotatable in thecorresponding grooves 33 of the said knuckleplates; by means of thisarrangement, an equi-lateral chamber is formed having the sides thereofin hinged connection with adjacent sidesto permit elongation of saidchamber in each of two directions, alternately, and the ends of whichside walls impinge against and are slidable en the cylinder heads 10.

The cylindrical ends of the" wall-plates are provided with bars 42radially movable in suitable guides and forced outwardly against thesurfaces of the corresponding grooves 33 by means of springs 43, Fig. 5,to serve as packing, similar bars 44 being also provided, on the ends ofthe wall-plates, as packings at their junction with the cylinder heads10, and I also provide a plurality of ribs, vanes, or the like, 45, toprovide a considerable heat radiating area for maintaining thewall-plates and the interior of the explosion chamber formed thereby ata low temperature.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated a fuel and air mixing chamber 46, having afuel supply pipe 47 and an air inlet 48, said mixing chamber is incommunication, as shown at 49, Fig. 4; with a chamber 50 adapted to beplaced'in communication with a chamber 51 through a port 52 controlledby a puppetvalve 53 having a spring 54 for maintaining the same on itsseat; I also provide a spark-plug 55, Fig. 4, or equivalent, incommunicatien with the chamber 51 andwhich chamber communicates with theinterior of the explosion chamber formed by the wallplates and heads 10by means of a port 56; the supply of mixture to the said explosionchamber is by suction in the expanding of said chamber after the exhaustof the burnt gases.

In order to adjust the supply of mixture to the engine I provide, asshown in Fig. 4, a trip 57 connected with the stem 58 of the valve 53and hinged to a support 59; as shown in Fig. 1, this trip is adapted tobe engaged and forced away from the engine b means of a cam 60 carriedby a rod 61,

" slidably carried in a lug 62, Fig. 2; this red has a plate 63 at thelower end thereof, adjacent to and concentric with the shaft 11, thetrip 57 being of spring material; as shown in Fig. 7, the fiy-wheel 11has a lever 64 pivoted to one of the spokes thereof, or to the webthereof, at 65, which lever carries a Weight 66 at one end and a roller67 at the other end in the plane of the plate 63 but normally held at aslight distance therefrom; as the speed of the fly-wheel increases, itwill be seen that the weight 66 moves outwardly from the shaft 11 bycentrifugal action, thus causing its roller to bear on the plate 63 andmove the same toward the shaft 11; this moves the cam 60 against thetrip 57 and increases the tension on the valve 53, thus limiting theamount of mixture allowed to enter the explosion chamber in an automaticmanner.

On the end of the explosion chamber opposite the inlet valve 53 is anexhaust valve 68 for the exhaust port 69, Fig. 2; the stem 70 of saidvalve is acted upon by a double leaf spring 71 to hold said valve on itsseat; I provide a cam-plate 72, on one of the connecting-rods 23,adapted to strike the end of the said valve stem and force the saidvalve off its seat, against the spring 71, in the successivereciprocations of the said connectingrod, this being properly timed, aswill be understood.

From the position of the parts shown in Figs. 3 and 4, if a charge ofthe mixture be admitted to the explosion chamber, and ignited, theknuckle-plates 27 and 32 are forced apart and into the positionsindicated by dotted. lines, thereby actuating the crankshaft 12 by meansof the rods 23 and 28; the former knuckle-plate exerts a pulling strainon the said shaft, and the latter a pushing strain, thus utilizing theforce of the explosion in both directions; an extreme and anintermediate position is indicated in Fig. 3 by dotted lines and, assoon as the momentum acquired by the iiy-wheels has carried the partsbeyond the intermediate position indicated, the wall-plates at oncebegin to approach each other; and this forces the exploded gases out ofthe exhaust port opened at this time for this purpose; this momentumagain moves the parts to the intermediate position to expand theexplosion chamber and thereby draw in a new charge; further movement ofthe parts serves to reduce the capacity of the said explosion chamberand thus compresses the new charge; the chamber 51 is made of a size toco'ciperate in such result and, when under compression, the new chargeis ignited and the operation described is repeated.

When but one unit is employed, momentum of the operated parts is reliedupon to draw in and compress a new charge, but I may, as is common withinternal co1nbustion engines, use two or more units, whereby the newcharge is sucked in and compressed in one unit by another unit, thenumber of such units not being of importance with respect to theprinciple of my invention, and only one unit being, there fore,illustrated, and I will, as is common, provide a water-jacket 73 for theexplosion chamber.

While I have shown certain details of construction, it will be obviousthat I do not limit myself thereto, but may make changes thereover,Within the scope of the following claims without departing from thespirit of my invention, or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. An engine, comprising a frame, two crank-shafts rotatable therein, afluid expansion chamber comprising fixed heads carried by said frame,two knuckle-plates arranged in one plane and provided, each, with twoparallel, semi-circular, grooves, two supplemental knuckle-platesarranged in a plane at right angles to said first named plane andsimilarly grooved, and a wall plate connect ing adjacent knuckle-platesand provided each with cylindrical end members resting in the respectivegrooves of said knuckleplates, means connecting each knuckle-plate witha corresponding crank-shaft, an inlet valve, and an exhaust valve, saidwall plates serving to maintain said knuckle-plates in their respectiveplanes at all times.

2. An engine, comprising a frame, two crank-shafts rotatable therein, afluid expansion chamber comprising fixed heads carried by said frame,two oppositely disposed knuckle-plates provided, each, with twoparallel, semi-circular, grooves, two supplemental, oppositely disposed,knuckle-plates similarly grooved and arranged in a plane at right anglesto the plane of said first named knuckle-plates, and a wall plateconnecting adjacent knuckle-plates and provided, each, with cylindricalend members resting in the respective grooves of said knuckle-plates, aninlet valve, and an outlet valve, and means for actuating said valves.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of the subscribing witnesses.

OTIS HEATON.

Witnesses:

A. V. ZUBER, HANNA RUPPUHN.

Uopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

